title: Comparison of functional and histological outcomes after intralesional, intracisternal, and intravenous transplantation of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells in a rat model of spinal cord injury.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Few studies have compared methods of stem cell transplantation. The aim of the present study was to determine the optimal method of delivery of therapeutic stem cells in spinal cord injury (SCI). We compared functional and histologic outcomes after administration of human bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) by intralesional (ILT), intracisternal (ICT), and intravenous transplantation (IVT).
  
  
  METHODS
  A rat model of spinal cord injury was produced by dropping a 10-g weight, 2 mm in diameter, onto the exposed spinal cords of animals from a height of 25 mm. In each treatment group, 24 animals were randomly assigned for functional assessment and 24 for histologic examination. BMSCs (3 × 10(5), ILT; 1 × 10(6), ICT; 2 × 10(6), IVT) were transplanted 1 week after SCI in numbers determined in previous studies. Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan scoring was performed in all animals weekly for 6 weeks. Spinal cord specimens were obtained from eight animals in each group 2, 4, and 6 weeks after SCI. Viable BMSCs were counted in six sagittal sections from each spinal cord.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All three treatment groups showed improved functional recovery compared to controls beginning 2 weeks after stem cell injection (P < 0.01). The ICT group showed the best functional recovery, followed by the ILT and IVT groups, respectively (P < 0.01). Histological analysis showed the largest number of viable BMSCs in the ILT group, followed by the ICT and IVT groups, respectively (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ICT may be the safest and most effective method for delivering stem cells and improving functional outcome in SCI when no limits are placed on the number of cells transplanted. As research on enhancing engraftment rates advances, further improvement of functional outcome can be expected.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50 Yonsei-ro, Shinchon-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 120-752, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Dong Ah
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Jin-Myung
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hyoung-Ihl
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Seong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.forename: Yoon
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.forename: Do Heum
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Keung Nyun
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D045164:Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*